


Earthbound

by Jemppu



Series: Months [19]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Art, Culmets - Freeform, Fanart, M/M, Tumblr, honey mushroom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:33:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23822371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemppu/pseuds/Jemppu
Summary: Part of"Honey Mushroom"series of illustrated Culmets momentslisted here on tumblr, and of"Months"moments, taking place before the couple's ultimate Discovery mission.Paul and Hugh are having an awkward car ride after an unexpected meeting on Discovery.With illustration:"Tension".
Relationships: Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Series: Months [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1082124
Kudos: 9





	Earthbound

**Author's Note:**

> The series gets released quite out of order, as inspiration dictates, so I urge you to check out the [series list on tumblr](https://tinyurl.com/honeyshroom) for a better picture of the whole.

## 

## Months: Earthbound 

It’ll be the first night of the month he’ll be staying on Earth, preparing for USS Discovery’s scheduled departure and his own first mission with Starfleet - both of their maiden voyage.  
  
Hugh’s presence aboard the ship today had come as a total surprise. As had the doctor’s announcement to join the expedition.

  
It’s a relief, Paul supposes, in that he doesn’t have to be alone in this after all. He’ll have something - someone - familiar to rely on in these new and all too sudden circumstances.  
  
But right now he is still quite flummoxed by this whole situation. They both must be. There’s a distinct tense silence and uncertainty hanging in the air between them.  
  
The couple have just returned from the lower orbit, after a day of inspecting the under construction vessel - the first of several such trips to come for Paul as he has to keep consulting the planners and builders about the functions their team’s work with the Spore Drive technology will require from the ship. The construction seems remarkably well on it’s way already.  
  
Paul had indeed thought he would be sitting in this taxi alone today, commuting back from the shuttleport to the hotel he’s staying in at the moment. Instead, Hugh is unexpectedly here with him as they head for a Starfleet housing facility. But only to collect Hugh’s stuff along.  
  
Paul’s first plan is to find a place to rent for these few weeks. Until then, the small hotel will do. He has deliberately picked the most idyllic accommodations he could find nearby to lodge in - a tiny, privately owned site surrounded by gardens - a place, which would keep reminding him he’s on Earth now.  
  
No way is he spending the precious few weeks he has on Earth - his last days on the ground - in some cramped up Starfleet dumb, sharing space with a bunch of strangers. The Starfleet kind no less. There will be plenty of that in store in the near future anyway. _“Thanks, Justin”_ , Paul thinks, and lets out a quiet irked huff.  
  
“You know, as an officer yourself now, you could’ve stayed in the Fleet premises for free”, Hugh remarks, daring to break the silence on Paul’s cue.  
  
“I could’ve stayed on an alleyway somewhere for free”, Paul scoffs derisively, without turning away from gazing out of the taxi window.  
  
Hugh can’t help but laugh a little. It’s still the same old Paul, alright. Despite this new and foreign, official look. Unfamiliar look, which Hugh is still very much loving though, and hadn’t been hesitant to tell it to the man himself right away either.  
  
Hugh looks at the man currently lost in his thoughts. It will however take a while to get used to seeing his previously non-affiliated, freethinking honey in this context: as a Starfleet officer, _“Lieutenant Stamets”_. That his civilian Paul is now part of their Fleet family, it is all so sudden. And still quite unreal.  
  
But the uniform does indeed look damn fetching on Paul, Hugh confirms in his mind. Though, with the man’s jacket now open, the doctor realizes, that it’s not exactly on code, how Paul has chosen to wear the outfit with one of his usual dress shirts instead: the man is still clearly shying away from the tight T-shirt and the restrictively zipped up jacket. The boots too had come off at the shuttle terminal the moment they had touched ground, in favor of more comfy slip on shoes.  
  
It keeps a certain kind of familiarity in Paul’s look still, which is comforting: the man is still very much his own man - the man Hugh had met and fallen for.  
  
Hugh makes mental note of all this, but refrains from remarking on it’s attractiveness out loud this time. He just smiles to himself and leaves Paul with his thoughts.  
  
The taxi is currently curving along a shoreside road. This is some gorgeous ocean view they’re driving by right now, Paul thinks. Maybe he should try to find a place by the beach.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts on the work posted along with the illustration on [**tumblr**](https://jmalkki.tumblr.com/post/176654756524/tension-first-one-of-two-depictions-of-paul-on).
> 
> _Likes, shares, comments and what have you, all appreciated on:_  
>  _[ **tumblr**](http://jmalkki.tumblr.com/) | [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/Jemppu) | [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/jeminamalkki/) | [**DeviantArt**](https://www.deviantart.com/jemppu)_


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